Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I read a newspaper and believe only half of what I read.
Then I have my doubts and question the accuracy of that half.
Now I'm down to a 1/4 of what I read with people using the words "reported by person unauthorized to release information matters...reported by unnamed eye witness...allegedlly by anonymous phone call...the list goes on. What are we to believe with todays goings on?.
The news is full of falsehood and inuendos in order to make "COPY".
Well at least I can read the comics and have a laugh. Steve
There have been times that others have caused me to question what I thought I had already settled to my satisfaction. .....to realize that maybe I wasn't so sure after all and needed to re-examine the issue .
There are so many shades of grey that can appear to be black or white at first glance.
I can't recall having done a 180 on any viewpoint. However, I've softened my resistance to opposing or simply different viewpoints. I've become more willing and more open minded to learn more about the other side of ths story.
I read a newspaper and believe only half of what I read.
Then I have my doubts and question the accuracy of that half.
Now I'm down to a 1/4 of what I read with people using the words "reported by person unauthorized to release information matters...reported by unnamed eye witness...allegedlly by anonymous phone call...the list goes on. What are we to believe with todays goings on?.
The news is full of falsehood and inuendos in order to make "COPY".
Well at least I can read the comics and have a laugh. Steve
I find that in the news on television. I never know what to believe and close down when they start bashing those in politics because I know it is only their opinion. Here I find that my views really don't change, but I do learn a lot. I also asked this same type of question on the religion forum. my thought was that people can't really listen to the other side. Christians want to just save others, and the othe people want to stop them from trying to save them. Or just like to debate. I have never read where a Christian decided to change his tune or that an atheist was changed by anyone's views. I do agree that when bashing occurs it stops the process of communication.
As the old saying goes: Only a fool never changes his mind.
I find on CD com there's a lot of ego at stake here, and I recall another wise old saying: A bruised ego takes longer to heal than any physical injury you may sustain. So when I see some hot debates going on here, sometimes, I know there's an ego trying to protect itself from being bruised.
So when I read through these debates, I try hard not to be labeled a fool.
In all the debates you've engaged in throughout your life....has anybody ever profoundly changed your mind on a subject?
Common debates are: Abortion, Illegal Immigration, Gay Marriage, Religion, Politics, War, Animal Rights, Death Penalty, etc. As a result of a debate, was your view/perspective/stance significantly altered in any of these areas?
I have to honestly say, no. Nobody has ever really been able to change my mind as a result of a debate. So this leads me to wonder if debate actually accomplishes anything other than giving us an arena to express our opinions?
What say you?
I wouldn't debate with someone if I was on the fence--only if I had strong opinions one way or the other. The only people swayed by debate are those who haven't already made up their mind.
Common debates are: Abortion, Illegal Immigration, Gay Marriage, Religion, Politics, War, Animal Rights, Death Penalty, etc. ?
In my experience, if I know how a person feels about one of those subjects, I can guess pretty accurately how they feel about the other ones. There are all philosophiclaly interlinked, and the same mindset tends to sway a person consistently through all of them. They are not like choices at a buffet where you can't predict a peson's dessert choice by what they had for a salad.
If a person is a "social libeal", it is likely that he will view each of the above issues from the socially liberal pespective. Accordingly, if his mind is changed on one of them, it would have to be changed on all of them, which is a tall order.
I believe that my perspective on each/all of the above issues is based on my commitment to conserving and respecting the dignity of all other people, and each issue is viewed through that prism. To change my view on any of them, I would have to abandon my overall sense of common human decency, which would, to my mind, make me a reprehensible person.
In my experience, if I know how a person feels about one of those subjects, I can guess pretty accurately how they feel about the other ones. There are all philosophiclaly interlinked, and the same mindset tends to sway a person consistently through all of them. They are not like choices at a buffet where you can't predict a peson's dessert choice by what they had for a salad.
If a person is a "social libeal", it is likely that he will view each of the above issues from the socially liberal pespective. Accordingly, if his mind is changed on one of them, it would have to be changed on all of them, which is a tall order.
I believe that my perspective on each/all of the above issues is based on my commitment to conserving and respecting the dignity of all other people, and each issue is viewed through that prism. To change my view on any of them, I would have to abandon my overall sense of common human decency, which would, to my mind, make me a reprehensible person.
A little OT, but I just wanted to say that I find your point about the preservation of dignity inspiring & heart-warming. Civility never goes out of style!
I don't think I've ever had one debate, all by itself, flat out CHANGE my mind. I have, however, been prompted to ask more questions and do more research in a direction I had never looked at before.
I have had OTHER people's debates help me make up my mind on a topic before. Again, in large part by making me look at an issue from another direction and giving me a new angle to do research from.
Sorry, I wrote a reply then realized I'd misinterpreted something, but I cant undo it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
